Handcuffed Calif. woman uses 'Houdini' move, spits in cop's face

Things took a strange and violent turn after assault suspect was handcuffed

By David DeBolt
Contra Costa Times

RICHMOND, Calif. — A Richmond woman described as "Houdini" for her ability to flip her handcuffed arms over her head spent Mother's Day in a jail cell after allegedly fighting with family and spitting in a police officer's face, authorities said.

It all started when police were called to a home on the 4400 block of Bell Avenue near John F. Kennedy High School just before noon on a report of a family fight, said Sgt. Nicole Abetkov. There, officers found 21-year-old Clotile Ducre, who allegedly had assaulted a family member while trying to visit her child, Abetkov said.

Things took a strange and violent turn when Ducre was handcuffed, Abetkov said. Like a contortionist, Ducre pulled her shoulder out of its socket to flip her arms over her head not once, but twice, Abetkov said. Chief Chris Magnus later described her as a "Houdini" in a Twitter post.

With her hands cuffed in front of her, Ducre banged on a patrol car window while she screamed for her child, and kicked an officer, Abetkov said. She also allegedly spit in the face of an officer, who later went to the hospital for blood work because some of the spit landed in his mouth. The officer is awaiting the results of the test.

Before taking her to County Jail in Martinez, officers placed a mask over her mouth to stop her from spitting on them and placed her in a device called "the wrap" to prevent her from breaking free.

Ducre was booked on a felony no-bail warrant and on suspicion of assaulting a police officer, assaulting a family member, and possession of a controlled substance suspected to be heroin.